1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to solar concentrators and more particularly to an improved solar concentrator which is economic to fabricate, simple to employ and efficient in operation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the fabrication of solar heaters, a use of trough-like reflectors for reflecting incident solar energy towards collectors located generally along the focal axes of the collectors is well known. Generally speaking, however, such reflectors include accurately ground mirrors and/or highly polished metallic surfaces which are expensive to fabricate, heavy and generally difficult to employ. For example, it is known that the power of a collector is a function of its area, consequently, it can be appreciated that the use of accurately ground and/or highly polished surfaces in the fabrication of collectors tend to render practical solar concentrators relatively expensive in terms of construction and fabrication costs. Further, solar heaters which utilize tracking light reflectors tend to be characterized by excessive mass and bulk and, therefore, tend to be impracticable for use in buildings such as dwellings and the like. Of course, the complexity of solar heaters is further increased in those instances where attempts are made to "fine tune" the reflecting surfaces of solar concentrators, as is clearly evidenced by the teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 3,906,927 which issued to Harry W. Kaplan, Sept. 23, 1975.
As can readily be appreciated by all those familiar with the design and fabrication of solar heaters adapted to employ trough-like concentrators for reflecting incident solar energy toward an energy collector, such as a fluid conduit or the like, there currently exists a need for a simple, low cost and practical solar concentrator having a capability of being readily installed and simply employed for facilitating expansive utilization of solar energy.
It is therefore the general purpose of the instant invention to provide a practical and economic solar concentrator particularly adapted to be employed for focusing incident solar energy on an energy collector.